Alternative names: Rufous-necked Scimitar-Babbler; Nepal Rufous-necked Scimitar-Babbler
- Pomatorhinus ruficollis
Includes: Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler (or Lesser Scimitar-Babbler)
Identification
16 - 21cm. A small Scimitar-Babbler.
- Heavy rufous to greyish streaks on lower throat and breast grading into brown flanks are diagnostic (blackish in musicus)
- Broad black mask and lores
- White supercilium
- Rufous chestnut collar
- Black eye
- Brown crown
- Dark grey brown upperparst
- White throat and upper breast
Sexes similar.
Distribution
From north India east along the Himalayas over Nepal, Bhutan to northeast India and south to southeast Bangladesh and west Burma. Also further east in much of south, south-central and east China, Laos, north Vietnam and Taiwan.
Locally common in its range.
Taxonomy
14 subspecies recognized[1]:
- P. r. ruficollis in north India east to east-central Nepal
- P. r. godwini from east-central Nepal over Bhutan to northeast India and adjacent Tibet
- P. r. bakeri from the northeast Indian Hill states to southeast Bangladesh and west Burma
- P. r. similis in north Burma and south China (Yunnan to Sichuan)
- P. r. styani in east China (Gansu and Sichuan to Jiangsu and Zhejiang)
- P. r. eidos in southcentral China (Sichuan and adjacent Yunnan)
- P. r. laurentei around Kunming (Yunnan)
- P. r. albipectus in southcentral China (Yunnan) and extreme north Laos
- P. r. beaulieui in Laos
- P. r. reconditus in south China (Yunnan and Guangxi) and north Vietnam
- P. r. hunanensis in southeast China (Sichuan and Guizhou east to Hunan and Guangxi)
- P. r. stridulus in southeast China (Hunan and Guangdong east to Zhejiang and Fujian)
- P. r. nigrostellatus on Hainan (China)
- P. r. musicus on Taiwan
Musicus from Taiwan is sometimes split as Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler.
In Laos possible hybridisation with White-browed Scimitar-Babbler reported.
Habitat
Dense scrub on hillsides, dense undergrowth in forest, open bamboo-jungle, rhododendron shrubs, brambles and bracken. Found at 200 - 3400m, up to 2300m in Taiwan.
Behaviour
Feeds on insects, larvae and grubs. Takes also seeds and berries.
A shy bird, usually seen in pairs, outside breeding season also in small groups of up to 6 birds, often together with other species. Forages near the ground.
Breeding season January to July (April to June in Taiwan). It builds a ball shaped nest of grass and other plants, which is placed on the ground or sometimes low in a tree. Lays 2 - 5 eggs.
Resident species.
References
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Streak-breasted_Scimitar_Babbler
